Truman Balcony

Truman argued that the addition of a balcony would provide shade for the first floor portico, avoiding the need for awnings, and would balance the White House's south face by breaking up the long verticals created by the columns.

[2] Critics of the proposal, including members of the Commission of Fine Arts, argued that the Classic Greek style of the building would be undermined in order to create a leisure space for the First Family.

The commission's chairman, civil engineer and landscape architect Gilmore David Clarke, wrote to Truman to voice his opposition to the balcony.

Truman responded, restating his belief that the residence would be enhanced by the project especially as it presented an opportunity to replace unattractive awnings, which he said collected dirt and constituted an eyesore,[3] with wooden shades that could be rolled up under the new balcony.

[1] No request was made to Congress for the $16,050.74 (equivalent to $203,546.5 in 2023) cost of constructing the balcony, as Truman had saved a sufficient sum from his household account.